COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Monday, November 28, 2011

MOTION NO. 7

MOTION: Councillor M. Corr

That this Committee considers naming the new link road between Kingswood and Citywest as the Katherine Tynan Road.

REPORT:

The motion is requesting the Committee to consider naming the new link road between Belgard Road and Citywest as the Katherine Tynan Road which translates to Bóthar Chaitríona Ní Theimhneáin as gaeilge. The exact commencement point and termination point of the proposal should also be examined further in view of the elongated nature of the overall road which will stretch from the M50 to Citywest Business Park when opened to traffic.

Kathleen Tynan was born in 1861 and grew up in a house called “White Hall” Ballymount. She was both a poet and writer and close associate of WB Yeats and Francis Ledwidge. She has written over 100 novels. Her work was greatly inspired by Irish heritage and throughout her lifetime she was one of the most eminent female writers. The naming of this new road in her honour is considered appropriate due to the relative proximity of this new road to her birth place.  

It is noted however that at the County Council meeting held on 8 March 2010 the following motion was passed:-

 “Developers shall agree estate names with the Planning authority of the Council prior to the commencement of development.

Such estate names shall be in the Irish language only and shall reflect the history and topography of the area in which they are located.

The names of new public roads shall be in the Irish language only.

The Council shall consult The Placenames' Commission/Oifig na Logainmneacha to ensure correct spelling and grammar are used on road signs.” (Highlighting added)

On the face of it, the motion passed by the Council in March 2010 would suggest that only the Gaelic version of any proposed public road name should be used so the proposed name, if it was agreed, could only be "Bóthar Chaitríona Ní Theimhneáin ". This may not accord with the intent of the motion before the Area Committee in that it does not effectively commemorate the author who is and was widely known as Kathleen Tynan as opposed to Chaitríona Ní Theimhneáin.

As the motion before this Area Committee is not in accordance with the objective of the motion passed by the Council in March 2010, that the names of new public roads shall only be in the Irish Language, the matter will therefore require further clarification so that there is complete clarity in relation to the intention of the Council and any recommendation of this Area Committee.